In the design and manufacture of lifeboats, there are many desirable characteristics which are difficult to incorporate in a single structure. Those boats that are extremely buoyant are apt to be unstable. Those boats that are inexpensive to manufacture are likely to be easily rendered inoperative by the elements. One of the popular lifeboats, for instance, has a tendency to turn upside down and to remain in that condition. The ideal lifeboat should be capable of being projected into the water in any geometric position relative to the horizontal and still immediately turn to its proper upright position. Attempts to provide lifeboats of this type in the past have resulted in a structure that is both expensive and complicated. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.
It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a lifeboat which is simple and rugged in construction and which has no loose, complex, or fragile parts that can become broken or inoperative in heavy seas.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a lifeboat which requires little or no attention from its passengers, so that it is capable of protecting persons in a weakened or injured condition.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a lifeboat which is constructed so as to be incapable of deterioration by the elements, even when stored for long periods of time on exposed parts of a ship without maintenance.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide a lifeboat which is simple in construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is capable of a long life of useful service with a minimum of maintenance.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a lifeboat which, when projected into the water in any aspect, immediately turns into a predetermined upright position.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a lifeboat which is buoyant and stable even when the interior has been filled with sea water.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a life boat which provides protection for the passengers from the sun in hot weather and from the cold in cold weather.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a lifeboat having a hatch cover which cannot be rendered inoperative by freezing, which is easily provided with a drogue, which has a large supply of fresh water that can serve a secondary function as ballast, which provides a means for accumulating fresh water from rain fall, which provides comfortable seating for a large number of passengers in such a way as to maintain the boat in balance, which is capable of being towed without difficulty, in which the means for gaining access to the hatchway from the water cannot be lost or destroyed, and which conforms in every way to regulations and specifications set forth by the Coast Guard for such use.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.